Witch Hunt
by Ika Sakura
Summary: He met her, danced with her, and received a kiss from her. But no, he can never see her nor completely remember her. But even now as private thoughts, he will do anything just to find her... Anything...


**Summary: He met her, danced with her, received a kiss from her. But no, he can never see her nor completely remember her. But even now as private thoughts, he will do anything just to find her... Anything...**

**Welcome Reader,**

**To another one of my dear stories!  
I hope you'll like this!  
Please remember, this is my own story, so those who died, like Euphie and especially _Lelouch_ are alive...**

**And of course, Reviews Appreciated!**

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* * *

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_The leaves of memory seem to make  
A mournful rustling in the dark_

_Henry Wadsworth Longfellow _

* * *

Chapter One: Happy Birthday!

"Lelouch, if you don't wake up in the next minute. I will personally call your father and tell him to wake you up himself..." A girl with long green hair and beautiful golden eyes continued shaking the Britannian Prince awake.

"Come on Lelouch, it's your big day and you're going to spend it in bed? Your mother thinks not!" She pulled the sheets off him and opened one huge curtain, letting the light shine towards the prince, who groaned taking it all in...

"C.C, you know the full reason I do not want to get up... Why bother when you know my father will not care whether I celebrate my birthday or not?" He narrowed his eyes as he reluctantly sat up and scratched his head...

The girl C.C. placed her hands on her hips. Lelouch looked at what she was wearing, her usual black coat, arm warmer or glove, white inner shirt, short shorts and long white boots(the one she wore as a Black Knight), and together with it all, a silver rapier hanging on her left side...

"That's what you're wearing? For the whole day?"

C.C nodded, "Yes, I am your _bodyguard_... I need to wearthe proper attire, always"

She then opened a closet and took a white button-up shirt, black pants and shoes then threw it on the bed, "Hurry up, breakfast is almost starting. I'll hand you the brush when you're done..."

Lelouch gave an annoyed look as C.C turned around, giving him the chance to change. But he, of course, wouldn't do it with _her_ in the room. So he took his clothes and walked in the bathroom, leaving C.C waiting near the bed...

* * *

Both Lelouch and C.C walked with Lelouch in front, he continued to feel C.C's presence with irritation. _Why did I even need a bodyguard in the first place?_ He asked himself

"Lelouch if you keep walking like that, you might collapse on your seat once we get there..." Said the girl who was now being thought of... with irritation.

_I recall mother saying to help me when my stamina is low... But really, a girl? They never gave me a full explanation... Maybe she's specially trained by the empire, one of those who come from the laboratory..._

The laboratory, a place currently unknown to the world, and to which his parents think he doesn't know either. But Lelouch is observant, he would notice the weird scientists visiting his father from time to time, and also the special soldiers who were _mysteriously_ sent to help them in battles, but most importantly, he has seen his uncle... To which he has no idea that person actually was until he saw his father and him talking and mentioning theose words... _'We're brothers...'_

Lelouch sighed to which didn't go unnoticed by C.C...  
C.C stopped walking, and asked, "What's wrong?"

Stopping as well. Lelouch answered back, "It's none of your business..."

"But it is, I have the right to know what's troubling you so I can dispell of it immediately..."

This caused Lelouch to smirk, "But C.C, you already know what's troubling me, you just can't notice it..."

He continued walking once more, with C.C still trailing behind him...

_Annoyance isn't limited with her around,_ he thought to himself,_ but it is better than having a crowd next to you all the time..._

The silence was thick until Lelouch and C.C were finally in the dining room.

"Oni-sama, C.C-san, good morning!" They were greeted by Nunnally who was currently being served of water by her personal maid, Sayoko.

"Good morning Nunnally" Lelouch replied with a smile, to which Nunnally replied with one as well...

Nunnally was currently crippled but is still able to see, with a small invasion that happened when they were little, Nunnally was attacked and deeply wounded on her legs, since then she was never able to walk again and was always being pulled by Sayoko on a wheelchair. Also since then, Lelouch has been really protective of her sister, even disrespecting their father was a part of it...

_Not caring of his own daughter... That man doesn't deserve to be called a father... _Thought Lelouch. C.C pulled a chair where Lelouch was meant to sit, on doing so, Nunnally giggled...

"What's wrong?" he asked...

Nunnaly stopped and smiled towards him and C.C, "Isn't it supposed to be the man who pulls the chair for the woman?"

Lelouch thought of this annoyance, not at Nunnally but at that fact, _But, of course, she'll question my actions if I was to ever do that..._

"But Nunnally-sama, I am only his personal maid, so I have no right for him to do that to me..." the green haired girl replied...

Nunnally smiled, "Okay then..." and continued eating, as did Lelouch...

"Where is mother?" he asked, still eating...

"She had some business to do, so she ate earlier and went to father..." replied Nunnally

"So where is everyone else then?" Lelouch was referring to their siblings...

"Others had matters to attend to, some planned eating in the royal garden, but Cornelia and Euphie were checking their _Knightmares..."_

This caught his attention, "Euphemia has a knightmare?"

Nunnally tapped her chin, "Yes, but she told me hers is only something of support, she doesn't know yet, but both her and Cornelia are sure that it isn't for attack"

Lelouch thought of his used-to-be _first love... _And the knightmare that she possess. _It may not be for attack but at least she is able to operate one..._

A Knightmare is a certain weapon owned by someone of royal blood, it is actually inside everyone but can only be activated if _blessed_ by someone from the Imperial Family, and it is also literally made inside them. The ones who currently have this are the Imperial Family themselves, their Knights, The Knights of Round and their soldiers (though theirs are only simple ones). It can be any weapon but it's form is said to be connected to the person's character and the color to their emotion. Lelouch, however, is the only person not to have one. It is possible for a person to loan their knightmare or for a person not to activate theirs so it looks like they don't have one. But Lelouch, even through loaning Schneizel's and Clovis' weapon, he still can't use or touch one. Usually, merely touching one would cause him to freeze in pain...

_Doctor's tell me that it's probably my stamina can't take the pressure but..._

Lelouch can never forgot those simple words C.C said to him when she found out about this...

_'If you act like that, then it looks more like a trauma, sure you've never touched or seen a knightmare before?'_

This has left him silent, he didn't know why but, he felt C.C has that thought partly correct.

Afterwards, some maids took their plates and Sayoko pulled the wheelchair, but a couple of maids with some butlers bringing certain items came in asking...

"Nunnally-sama, about the whole background we are..." They all stopped and looked at both Lelouch and C.C, then back towards Nunnally in a panicked look. Lelouch glanced at Nunnally for a moment and saw that she had a panicked look on her as well...

"Umm, this seems like a bad time... Nunnally-sama, we'll gladly speak to you later..." The group went out just as fast as they went in.

Lelouch was suspicious, but didn't fully show it. Nunnally sighed with relief.

"Who were they?" He asked.

Nunnally definitely looked worried, Lelouch took notice of it, and has already thought up of all the possible answers Nunnally was bound to pick from...

"W-well... I'm currently assigned to something, they were probably asking me about it..."

Lelouch stopped all that was inside his head for a while, her statement got him a bit worried, "Were you assigned to that by father?" Lelouch thought bitterly of the man, who will even use his own children for his own benefits.

Nunnally shook her head, "No, I volunteered..."

This made Lelouch feel relieved, but still was suspicious, "Then I hope you'll be fine in doing that job of yours" Lelouch smiled towards her, then stood up, "I'm going to the garden"

Nunnally smiled back, "Yes, then I'll see you later..." Lelouch nodded and left, with C.C behind him. This made Nunnally smile unnoticed by the two, but not by Sayoko.

"What's wrong?"

"I wonder, won't they look like lovers if they were to ever walk next to each other?"

This was completely understood by Sayoko, and smiled back.

* * *

"Lelouch, I'm surprised if you really don't know what Nunnally is planning, do you?" C.C still walking asked this to him.

Lelouch smirked, "Of course I do, it's probably something for me, has to do with the possibility of many people or just me with a very important person. It ether be a ball or a private dinner or lunch. But it can also be something only celebrated by the family. But knowing Nunnally, it will probably be a ball..."

"I see you're completely sure it's for you..." C.C narrowed her eyes at him in a lazy manner.

"Well yes, today is _my birthday_..."

* * *

Lelouch and C.C walked towards the garden, there they saw tow of his brothers, Schneizel and Clovis.

Schneizel took notice of him, "Lelouch, you're actually up early..."

Clovis sipped some tea, "Of course he is brother, today is his birthday..."

Schneizel smiled at this, "Ah yes, then when is the celebration?" He asked Lelouch to which he replied with a shrug.

"I didn't plan anything, nor did I tell anyone to..." Lelouch continued walking in front of C.C and stopped as they reached the rose bushes. Lelouch took one and smelled it.

"That image of yours never changes Lelouch" A familiar voice was heard, Lelouch looked at his left and saw his long-time bestfriend, Suzaku Kururugi.

"Suzaku, why are you here?"

"Oh, then I shouldn't be here?" Suzaku asked back.

"I didn't say that, but still, why?"

"The Knights of Round were called by the Emperor, we had to come"

Lelouch narrowed his eyes, "I see..."

Silence was starting to turn thick, when finally Suzaku popped up an interesting question.

"Lelouch, do you have any updates about you and that _mystery girl_ of yours?" He smirked asking this.

Lelouch however, was not pleased, "Why ask for an update Suzaku? I can barely get out from the Pendragon so how do you suppose I find _her?_"

That girl they were talking about is actually someone who Lelouch, more than ever, wants to find. It began when they were having a ball to celebrate his tenth birthday. While the celebrant was being greeted he took interest of a girl he's never met before, but whenever Lelouch tries to remember her he can only remember small details about her looks and can only see his flashbacks either like an old video or black and white, so it didn't support since he doesn't even know what attracted him to her in the first place.

All he remembered was, after meeting her a song played so he asked the girl to dance, afterwards he can't remember what they were talking about and mostly what girl said but then she kissed his cheek and said something else which is actually the only thing he clearly remembers _'We'll see each other again, promise...'_ But after that she disappeared. And for the next three weeks after his birthday, Lelouch can't remember a thing that happened. He simple can't remember a thing, he doesn't know why, but his siblings told him that he was acting fine when those weeks passed.

When checked by the doctors, they say it's probably a slight amnesia, but the strange part is that Lelouch can tell all the details on the exact time his memories begun to be clear. This simple thing left the doctors in a state of confusion, it was never possible for an amnesiac person to know the exact time, so they then state Lelouch to be lying, which was immediately casted aside when they study his habits, which shows he really doesn't remember.

But in truth, Lelouch was only fooling the doctors into thinking what really was the truth, _'Lying for the truth to prevail...' _This was his current motto at that time, he really had amnesia, but his normal actions might prove it wrong, so he had to lie, for them to believe the truth, that he has slight amnesia...

"But really Lelouch..." Suzaku interrupted his reverie of this past, "When are you planning to admit that the girl probably is long gone?"

Lelouch glared towards him, Suzaku tensed up a bit as he rarely sees this side of him.  
"I won't stop until I find her Suzaku, she is the key to answering all these accusations of me lying, and..." His front hair covered his eyes, "She has promised us to meet once more..."

Suzaku understood this and smiled towards him. He walked up to Lelouch, and patted him on his back.

"Don't worry, if you think that, then I guess you will probably find her..."

Lelouch smiled back as Suzaku started to walk away, "I better get back, the Knight of One might get angry if I were to be seen gone, I'll talk to you later Lelouch..." He waved and started pacing back inside the palace, but stopped midway...

"Oh and Lelouch... Take notice of your lover once and a while..."Suzaku smirked at this and finally walked out, leaving Lelouch thinking, then finally looked at C.C who has been behind them both the entire time, she was holding a bunch of roses, multi-colored...

"Why were you picking those?" Lelouch referred to at the roses, he looked around for a bit, Scheneizel and Clovis were long gone...

"This is a gift" C.C held it out to him, "Happy Birthday Lelouch..."

He looked at her weirdly. Has she eaten something that made her actually care for something that is happening to him?

"C.C, there is no reason for you to get these as a present..." Slowly he took them from her hands, he immediately noticed the wounds to her fingers.

"It is important, that is my way of thanking you for being such an easy one to protect..."

Lelouch took this as a slight insult, and quickly grabbed her hands and led her back inside, though a different way than the one Suzaku used.

"Where are we going?" C.C asked.

"Back to my room..."was all Lelouch answered.

After arriving in his room, Lelouch searched his drawers to find, what C.C saw were a couple of bandages. "Lelouch, there's no need for that..."

He shook his head in response, "We're even in this, you gave me flowers and I give you bandages, those wounds won't heal on their own"

C.C rolled her eyes staring at the flowers she gave to him, which are currently placed on a desk, for a while.

"You're giving it, so no, don't put it on my hands" She quickly took the bandages from him, and turned to put it on herself. She turned to him afterwards, showing her hands placed with it.

Lelouch sighed, "Well, can you tell me where is mother?"

C.C looked at her hands then at him, "Probably with your father, duh..."

Lelouch glared at her and sat down on a chair.

Silence became thick when C.C finally asked him something...

"Who's this girl you and Suzaku were talking about?"

Lelouch knew this would be asked, but not asked by C.C, the only girl in te entire world whose curiosity never gets the better of her.

"That is none of your business C.C"

"But it is, I can find this girl for you"

This got Lelouch surprised, he didn''t show it but he definitely was, since C.C was the one who was actually saying she'll do it.

"What's wrong with you?" He asked

"Nothing, why ask?" she replied back

"Because first flowers and then saying you want to help? You're hiding something..."

C.C shook her head, still showing her usual mysterious look, "Can't I do something nice for you at least once a year? It's your birthday, so I'll be at least helpful... for today anyway"

Lelouch sighed, but seeing as C.C doesn't clearly have bad intentions or that his father had anything to do with her current actions, (he just thought of it from C.C usual movements, nothing unusual) so he told her.

"She's the girl I dance with 8 years ago..." (Note, Lelouch just turned 18, it's his Birthday!!)

"Ah, I heard about that, after meeting her you couldn't remember a thing for three weeks, correct? But the doctors say that you probably just hit your head and your will not to forget her was strong so you didn't..."

Lelouch glared towards her, "I am sure, nothing happened to me to make me forgot those weeks..."

C.C rolled her eyes, "So what do you want me to do?"

Lelouch looked down, "Nothing..."

She glared at him, "Then what do you want?"

"... Power, the power to find her..."

"Power?"

Lelouch nodded, "No matter what I do, even if I cry, dream, wish or pray, nothing will happen, I need the power to stop that, to make the change I want. The power to find her..."

C.C stared at him, "You want power?"

Lelouch nodded, "Yes, but I can't even obtain a simple Knightmare, there is never hope..."

Another thick silence has started until Lelouch stood up and walked towards the door.

"Where are you going?" C.C asked.

"To where Cornelia and Euphemia are, I need to analyze something..."

"What? Their Knightmares?"

"Of course, I need to see what form it's taking, especially Euphemia's"

C.C nodded and walked behind him, both then went towards the Training Grounds.

* * *

Cornelia grippd her sword tightly and swung her sword, hitting a couple of trees in the process. Euphie clapped her hands.

"Well done! But..."

Cornelia looked at her with a bit of worry, "What's wrong?"

"There might be trouble if we cut the trees, maybe we can try using the practice dummies instead?"

Cornelia stared at Euphie for a while and smiled, "Yes, we'll just use that..."

"Seeing you like this makes me feel like you'll be an easy target at battle, Cornelia..." Lelouch, with C.C behind him, walked up to the now glaring Cornelia.

"Yes, but at least I'll be armed with a Knightmare unlike _someone..._"

Lelouch glared back at her, turning it into a glaring contest, to which Euphie wanted to stop.

"Break it, you two. Lelouch, why are you here?"

He shrugged, "There's nothing better to do, and Nunnally is assigned to something... Does any of you know what it is anyway?"

Both Cornelia and Euphemia looked at each other, and shook their heads towards Lelouch afterwards, "No..."

_They know..._ _Just as I thought..._ He said in his head...

"Okay then, Euphemia, I've heard, you have a Knightmare?"

She nodded in response, "I'm wearing it right now..." She pointed towards a heart-shaped ruby pendant. Lelouch examined it carefully.

Euphie giggled, "Want me to show you how it works?"

Lelouch nodded and Euphie smiled. She held the red stone towards a couple of flower buds, the stone began to glow as Lelouch stared at it with much curiosity. The stone shone on the buds, and it immediately began to bloom. Lelouch continued to stare at it, amazed.

"This can only be done on plants though, my Knightmare has the ability to heal both people and animals, it can only quicken a plant's growth though..."

"That's a very useful Knightmare for survival, Euphemia" Lelouch looked at the pendant carefully once more...

"What about you C.C? I've heard you have a Knightmare, care to show us?" Cornelia suddenly asked, which made Lelouch surprised, C.C didn't tell him anything about her having a Knightmare. But then again, becoming his personal bodyguard/_knight_ she was probably blessed by either his mother or father.

C.C stared at them for a while "I do have one, but it's not that good..."

Euphie shook her head, "No! I bet yours is very strong! I'm sure! So please...?"

C.C sighed but walked towards the center. She closed her eyes as a yellow glow appeared in front of her. It continued to glow bigger until it took the form of a sword. She opened her eyes once more and took hold of the top. It stopped glowing, and became a rapier. She swung it slowly to the side, just doing so immediately cut the grass on the ground. The three noticed, and were all amazed.

"Amazing... Just looking at it, I'm already shocked..." Commented Euphie, Cornelia clapped her hands in awe...

Lelouch stayed silent, staring at the sword...  
Afterwards, Cornelia challenged C.C to a match, she agreed with no other choice. C.C was close to beating her, if it weren't for the time... The sun was almost at Twilight...

"I didn't notice the sun going down..." said a rather surprised Cornelia

"Of couse you didn't" answered Lelouch who was sitting on a chair with Euphie on the other, on the table were two plated with half-eaten cakes...

Both Cornelia and C.C looked at it, Euphie looked at them apologetically, "Sorry, you were both into the fight and when I asked if you wanted to eat you couldn't reply, so Lelouch said to just eat without you..."

The three looked at Lelouch, he didn't stare back but merely said, "Both you and C.C are already used to skipping meal time, in battle you don't stop fighting just to eat..."

Cornelia sighed at this, "Well, Euphie at least you ate, but not to much I hope"

Euphie shook her head, "Well, Cornelia, we should probably go back to our rooms to wash up"

"Yes, we should, C.C that was a fine match, I hope we can continue it. Lelouch I'll see you later, you should wash up too"

Lelouch nodded and C.C bowed. The two sisters walkd back together as Lelouch looked at C.C.

"You were to in the fight"

She shrugged at this, "Well, I'm used to it... Come on you should get ready, remember Nunnaly's planning...?"

Lelouch smirked and walked back...

* * *

Back in the room, C.C rummaged through his closet as he sat on one chair reading.

"I don't see why you have to pick what I wear..."

"You practically wear the same thing almost everyday. And besides, Nunnally told me what to pick for you..."

This got his attention, "Nunnally did...?" C.C nodded as a response.

"Here it is..." She showed him the outfit, and as he looked at it, he couldn't help but remember the girl he danced with...

Well why wouldn't he? The outfit C.C was an exact copy of what he wore the the time he danced with the girl, except it's more of the outfit's teen version...

The inner shirt was the same one he was currently wearing, a white button-up shirt, though cleaner (since Lelouch's was already dirty from his previous activities), a black tail coat with almost the same embroidery as the outer shirt he used when he was small, black pants and shoes, and together with it all, a cap with a white feather attached to it. (It's up to you how to perfectly interpret it in your mind)

Lelouch continued to look at it, "Well then, better change before Nunnally comes by..."

C.C nodded and gave him his clothes closing the closet door all together, Lelouch went in the bathroom to change. After coming out wearing the outift completely, Nunnally knocked on the door.

"Oni-sama, are you there?"

"Yes Nunnally, you may come in..."

She did as Lelouch said and pulled the wheelchair in with her hands.

Lelouch took notice of this, "Where's Sayoko?"

"She's working on something I asked. Well then brother, let's go!"

"Where?" he asked, pretending to be confused.

Nunnally giggled, "You'll see..."

* * *

The three walked with Nunnally in front, Lelouch in the middle and C.C at the back.

"Brother..." Nunnally suddenly said, "I know you've figured out what we're planning but... Thank you for acting like you don't, everyone has really been trying not to let you figure it all out, so thank you..."

Lelouch smiled at this, Nunnally knows almost everything about his actions. She's the _second _out of all to know him very well...

Note: Second Only...

Nunnally stopped in front of a huge door, to which the three knows it leads to the ball room. A creak was heard as the doors started to open, inside it the first thing Lelouch saw was... A crowd of massive people...

**"Happy Birthday Lelouch!!"**

Everyone cheered as Lelouch was lead inside with C.C still trailing him. He sat on the throne and stared at the tons of presents near him.

"Happy Birthday Lelouch" greeted a pink haired woman.

"Thank you Kallen" he replied

"Lelouch! You're 18 now!" Rivalz tackled him as others came to greet him as well.

Lelouch noticed all the important guests, for him anyway, there was Kallen, Rivalz, Milly, Shirley, Nina, Ohgi, Villetta, Lloyd, Cecille, Tohdoh and the four holy swords, the Knights of Round, Rolo and also Jeremiah. His mother and siblings are also present but his father wasn't, much to Lelouch's relief.

Everyone greeted him the same thing, when finally Nunnally came next to him and held his hand.

"As your birthday present" she looked up at him, "I wish you maybe able to find that girl someday..."

Lelouch looked at her surprised but gave a heartwarming smile afterwards, "Thank you Nunnally..."

Trumpets suddenly blew as all became silent. The huge doors opened once more, to reveal the Charles Zi Britannia, The Emperor.

"Lelouch..." Both looked at each other with glaring eyes. Lelouch felt that he lost to their little glaring contest.

"I've heard what Nunnally has said, you still wish to find that girl?"

Lelouch didn't lose his demeanor and continued to look at his father, "Yes, I still do..."

"Other matters are more important than finding a girl who you barely remember... An intruder is amidst..."

All gasped, as Lelouch acted normal though he was also surprised. Silence became thick when running steps were heard. Lelouch looked behind him. A man with a knife was running towards him.

The man was stopped however as Suzaku came forward, and tired to strike the man with his Knightmare, a sword, the man sheilded with his knife. C.C ran in front of Lelouch she held her Knightmare, the rapier, tighly in case the intruder would get pass Suzaku.

"Why are you attacking the prince?" C.C asked the man.

"What prince?! That boy is an experiment! Just a tool!"

These words struck Lelouch, as he stared at the man, terrified...  
He whispered, "Shut up..." though only C.C heard it.

But, of course, the man didn't, "He's just a guinea pig! A Lab Rat even!"

No one understood the man, but Lelouch heard C.C whisper to him, "This man, he's had a dosage of Refrain..."

Lelouch widened his eyes as he looked at the man. Refrain can make you feel like you're experiencing an old happy memory, but taking it too much, you'll also experience sad and unlucky ones.

_'This man is probably an old scientist with an experiment failure, and now with the Refrain in him, he thinks it's me...' _Lelouch thought of this conclusion as the man broke it and continued to yell at him. He didn't know why but the man's words stuck him deeply... And he wanted it all to stop.

"Shut up..." he whispered once more, but the man continued.

"Shut up..." he said this even louder, loud enough for Suzaku to hear it as a whisper, still the man continued.

"Shut up..." All can hear it now, but the man just wouldn't listen

Lelouch has had it.

**"Why don't you just shut up and DIE?!"** He stared at the man fully as he said this.

And what surprised them was, the man did... After being silent for a while the man uttered holding the knife high.

"Yes, Lelouch Vi Britannia!" And then struck himself, using the knife, through his heart.

All were wide eyed, especially Lelouch, C.C looked back at him and widened her eyes even more at what she saw...

Lelouch's left eye was pure purple, with a red bird-like sigil on it...

* * *

**13 Pages!! Yay!**

**What do you think of it?**

**You may tell me if anything is wrong, especially the grammar and spelling!**

**And also... This is only the beginning!**

**So tune in for my next update!**

**And I hope you all review!**

**Over-and-Out!**

**{{✖ Tsubasa ✖}}**


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